Senior Government leaders have congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the US presidential election but the result has been described as “devastating” and a “disaster” by Labour leader Ivana Bacik.
Reacting to the result on social media, Taoiseach Simon Harris congratulated Mr Trump and said: “The people of the United States have spoken and Ireland will work to deepen and strengthen the historic and unbreakable bonds between our people and our nations in the years ahead.”
In a subsequent statement Mr Harris also said: “The world faces many challenges and needs leadership to meet them.
“With the US and Ireland’s shared commitment to democracy and international law, we can, and will, tackle these challenges.”
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin also congratulated the US president-elect.
In a statement he said: “We look forward to working with him and his new administration in a constructive manner, as we did during his previous administration.”
He noted the 100 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the United States and said the relationship “draws its strength from our deep, historical people-to-people connections, the support of the US to peace on this Island, as well as our significant, and mutually beneficial, economic relationship”.
Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik, however, reacted to the result saying: “A Trump win spells disaster on so many fronts. For Ukraine, for Gaza, for Climate. For women’s rights, for migrant rights and for Europe. The US has made a choice – now the impact will be felt worldwide.”
Later at a Leinster House press conference Ms Bacik expanded on these concerns and also said there are threats to Europe’s economy and Ireland’s in particular.
She called on the Taoiseach to share any briefings he has received on the “risk assessment of a Trump win for Ireland” with the Opposition.
She said: “We know we are about to face into our own general election but I think it would be really important for all of us in Opposition and indeed Government to be really made aware of the likely risks and the likely immediate and practical consequences of Trump’s win for Ireland.”
Ms Bacik also said it is important at this time that Ireland “stand firm” and “really articulate very strongly and clearly our values of inclusivity and of solidarity”.
On Monday, another senior Government leader, Roderic O’Gorman said Mr Trump’s re-election would be “a disaster for the US, Ireland and the planet”.
The Green Party leader pointed to remarks from Mr Trump during his campaign when he called climate change a “hoax” and “promised to scrap clean energy projects, incentives for electric cars and unleash a ‘drill, baby, drill’ wave of oil and gas projects”.
He said it was “vital that Donald Trump does not win this election”.
On Tuesday Mr Harris and Mr Martin said Ireland will work with whomever won the election as they stopped short of saying whether they agreed with Mr O’Gorman.
Mr Harris said: “While I have very strong views on the US presidential election, and very personal views as to what I’d like to see happen, I’m very conscious as Taoiseach of the country not to interfere in an election in another country.
“I wouldn’t appreciate if former president Trump or vice-president Harris started to tell people in Ireland who to vote for and I don’t think people in Ireland would appreciate that either so it’s entirely a matter for people in the United States today. I wish the candidates well.”
Nationalist politicians in Northern Ireland have raised concerns about the impact of Trump’s election victory on the US while Unionist leaders have welcomed the “decisive” result.
SDLP leader Claire Hanna said it was “disheartening” that Trump’s “divisive brand of politics has been so widely endorsed”.
“My thoughts today are largely with people in the United States who are fearful about what this might mean for their future,” she said.
“Donald Trump has repeatedly shown himself as someone with little respect for most people or the high office that he once again holds.
“There is serious concern about what this means for the United States, Gaza, Ukraine and indeed the world. In each, the most vulnerable will likely bear the brunt of the decisions the Trump administration will take.”
But DUP leader Gavin Robinson congratulated the 47th American president on “achieving what has rightly been described as the greatest political comeback of all time”.
“Elections can be divisive, as this election has been, but the conclusion has been decisive,” he said.
Mr Robinson expressed hope that the “ties between the US and Northern Ireland remain strong”.
“In President Trump’s last term, the door of the White House was open and indeed many regarded his Presidency as one of balance and fairness regarding our own local political divisions. I trust he adopts the same approach to the 47th presidency as he did the 45th.”
Sinn Féin Stormont economy minster Conor Murphy warned that a hike in tariffs on all imports to the US – one of Trump’s campaign proposals – could adversely affect the North’s economy.
“Anything which hinders our ability to trade with a very significant trading partner is not good news, he said.
“Businesses like certainty and if the Trump presidency brings uncertainty that isn’t good news for our companies who do business in the US.”
TUV leader Jim Allister said however that he believes Mr Trump had been the better candidate.
“It’s for the American people to make their choice and I do envy the fact that they are entitled to elect those who make their laws, unlike us in 300 areas where laws are made in a foreign parliament,” he said.
“On the issues which impact Northern Ireland, I trust that the historic premise of the United States – no taxation without representation – is something which could give him something to think about when it comes to us.”
